Kool G Rap

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Kool G Rap

Performing in New York City, November 2006
Background information
Birth name Nathaniel Wilson
Also known as G Rap, Your Favorite Rapper's Favorite Rapper
Born July 20, 1968 (1968-07-20) (age 40)
Origin Queens, New York City, United States
Genre(s) Hip hop
Years active 1986–present
Label(s) Cold Chillin', Rawkus, Chinga Chang, Koch
Associated acts DJ Polo, Juice Crew, Big Daddy Kane, Wu Tang Clan, Nas, Mobb Deep, Big L, Canibus, Ras Kass, Jedi Mind Tricks

Nathaniel Wilson (born July 20, 1968[1]), better known by his stage name Kool G Rap, is an American rapper from the Corona section of Queens, New York[2]. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, and also as a member of the Juice Crew. He is often cited as one of the most influential and skilled MCs of all time[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11], who is a pioneer and master of mafioso/street/hardcore content[12][13][14][15][16][17] and multisyllabic rhyming[18]. His name is short for "Kool Genius of Rap"[19][20].

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Kool G Rap & DJ Polo

Kool G Rap debuted with DJ Polo in 1986, on the single "It's a Demo"/"I'm Fly". They then released two more singles and Kool G Rap also rapped on the Juice Crew's classic posse cut 'The Symphony' before they released their debut album, Road to the Riches in 1989[21][22]. This album and their two later albums, Wanted: Dead or Alive (1990) and Live and Let Die (1992), are highly regarded and considered Hip-Hop classics[23][24][25][26][27][28].

[edit] Solo career

In 1995 he released 4,5,6, the first of his solo albums, which featured production from Buckwild and guest appearances from Nas and MF Grimm - it has been his most successful record so far, reaching No.24 on the US Billboard 200 album chart[29]. This was followed by Roots of Evil in 1998[30]. He was then meant to release his next album, The Giancana Story, on Rawkus Records, Half A Klip was released in 2008 on Chinga Chang Records, featuring production from Hip-Hop legends DJ Premier and Marley Marl[31].

Criticisms of Kool G Rap's solo albums usually focus on the production not being up to the standard of the rapping[32][33].

While Kool G Rap has always been popular and well respected in Hip-Hop circles for his lyrical skills[34][35], he never crossed over and saw the same level of commercial success as rappers such as Biz Markie and Big Daddy Kane, both also members of the Juice Crew[36][37]. He is known for consistently making records which are hardcore, dark, intelligent, and underground[38][39][40][41].

[edit] Legacy

Kool G Rap is regarded as a hugely influential golden age rapper[42]. Music journalist Peter Shapiro suggests that Kool G Rap "created the blueprint for Nas, Biggie and everyone who followed in their path"[43]. Kool G Rap is described by Kool Moe Dee as "the progenitor and prototype for Biggie, Jay-Z, Treach, Nore, Fat Joe, Big Pun, and about twenty-five more hard-core emcees"[44], and Kool Moe Dee also claims Kool G Rap is "the most lyrical" out of all of the artists mentioned[45]. MTV describes Kool G Rap as a "hip-hop godfather", adding that he paved the way for a lot of MCs who we would not have heard of otherwise[46]. Rolling Stone says, "G Rap excelled at the street narrative, a style that would come to define later Queens MCs like Nas (who was hugely influenced by G Rap on his early records) and Mobb Deep"[47]. Other artists who have named Kool G Rap as a major influence include M.O.P.[48], Scarface[49], R.A. The Rugged Man[50], Bun B of UGK[51], Rah Digga[52], RZA[53], Lady Of Rage[54], Big Pun[55], and Cage.

He is also often very highly rated in terms of his technical ability[56][57][58][59][60][61][62] and is often ranked alongside other highly regarded golden age MCs, such as Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, and KRS-One[63][64]. In Jay-Z's track 'Encore', Jay-Z raps, "hearing me rap is like hearing G Rap in his prime"[65][66], comparing his skill level to that of Kool G Rap, and Allmusic calls him "one of the greatest rappers ever", "a master", and "a legend" [67][68]. A number of rappers put him in their Top 5 MCs lists[69][70][71][72], Kool Moe Dee ranks Kool G Rap at No.14 in his book There's A God On The Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs[73], and MTV gives him an 'Honorable Mention' in their Greatest MCs Of All Time list[74].

[edit] Rhyme technique

Kool G Rap is known for using complex multisyllabic rhymes since his debut (in a similar way to other golden age MCs such as Big Daddy Kane and Rakim)[75], and this remains a hallmark of his style, along with his rapid-fire delivery and "superhuman breath control"[76]. Although many of today's MCs use multisyllabic rhymes extensively (such as Eminem, Pharoahe Monch, Nas, Papoose, and many others), Kool G Rap is known for taking the technique to its limits and packing in as many multisyllabic rhymes as possible[77][78], sometimes all in the same rhyme scheme for a whole verse, such as on Sway & King Tech's 'The Anthem'[79].

He has also been cited as one of Hip-Hop's greatest storytellers, alongside Slick Rick and Notorious BIG[80][81], with "laser-like visual descriptions"[82], and "vivid narratives"[83]. Rolling Stone states that, "Live and Let Die continued G Rap's reign as rap music's premier yarn-spinner"[84].

[edit] Mafioso/Street content

Kool G Rap is often credited as one of the first rappers to include mafioso content, as well as a lot of hardcore street content, into his lyrics[85][86][87][88][89][90][91]. This can be seen as early as 1989 in the song "Road to the Riches" where he makes a reference to Al Pacino (who plays mobster Tony Montana in the 1983 crime drama movie Scarface)[92] - this was long before albums such as Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… (1995) made such references popular[93].

Since his debut, he has used various references to mob movies in his lyrics, album covers, and titles[94]. For example, the first line of 'Bad to the Bone' from Wanted: Dead or Alive (1990) is, I'm bad to the bone / with a style like Al Capone[95], the album Live and Let Die (1992) uses samples from the film The Untouchables[96], the album cover of Roots of Evil (1998) uses elements from the The Godfather and Scarface theatrical posters[97], and The Giancana Story (2002) album title references Mafia boss Sam Giancana[98].

Rolling Stone says, "before Kool G Rap, New York didn't really have the street rap that could hold its own against what artists such as L.A.'s Ice-T and N.W.A were churning out"[99] and that "G Rap excelled at the street narrative"[100].

His take on crime, violence, and the mafioso lifestyle ranges from remorse and contemplation (eg. 'Streets of New York'[101], described by Rolling Stone as "a vivid look inside the misery of the hood"[102]), to glorification (eg. 'Fast Life' featuring Nas[103]).

[edit] Discography

With DJ Polo Year
Road To The Riches 1989
Wanted: Dead or Alive 1990
Live and Let Die 1992
Solo Albums Year
4,5,6 1995
Roots of Evil 1998
The Giancana Story 2002
Half a Klip 2008
Compilations Year
Killer Kuts 1994
Rated XXX 1996
The Best of Cold Chillin': Kool G Rap & DJ Polo 2000
Greatest Hits 2002
Collaborative Albums With Year
Click of Respect The 5 Family Click 2003
Legends Vol. 3 (digital album - Napster) J-love Enterprise 2009


[edit] Featured appearances

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:k9frxqygld6e~T1
  2. ^ http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/features/id.1051/title./p.all
  3. ^ Kool Moe Dee, 2003, There's A God On The Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs, Thunder's Mouth Press, p.225, 228.
  4. ^ Shapiro, Peter, 2005, The Rough Guide To Hip-Hop, 2nd Edition, Penguin, p. 213-214.
  5. ^ http://www.mtv.com/bands/h/hip_hop_week/2006/emcees/index12.jhtml
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  10. ^ http://allhiphop.com/stories/reviewsmusic/archive/2009/01/22/20803725.aspx
  11. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/koolgrap/biography online excerpt from 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide.
  12. ^ Cobb, William Jelani, 2007, To The Break Of Dawn: A Freestyle On The Hip Hop Aesthetic, NYU Press, p. 59.
  13. ^ Hess, Mickey, 2007, Icons Of Hip Hop, Greenwood Publishing Group, p.57.
  14. ^ Kool Moe Dee, 2003, There's A God On The Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs, Thunder's Mouth Press, p.228.
  15. ^ http://www.mtv.com/bands/h/hip_hop_week/2006/emcees/index12.jhtml
  16. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:g9fqxquhldae
  17. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/koolgrap/biography online excerpt from 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide.
  18. ^ Shapiro, Peter, 2005, The Rough Guide To Hip-Hop, 2nd Edition, Penguin, p. 213.
  19. ^ http://halftimeonline.com/hip-hop-icon-series/kool-g-rap/2/
  20. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:k9frxqygld6e~T1
  21. ^ allmusic ((( Kool G Rap > Biography )))
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  23. ^ allmusic ((( Kool G Rap > Biography )))
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  27. ^ Hess, Mickey, 2007, Icons Of Hip Hop, Greenwood Publishing Group, p.57.
  28. ^ Shapiro, Peter, 2005, The Rough Guide To Hip-Hop, 2nd Edition, Penguin, p. 213.
  29. ^ http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=97142&model.vnuAlbumId=1078035
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  35. ^ Cobb, William Jelani, 2007, To The Break Of Dawn: A Freestyle On The Hip Hop Aesthetic, NYU Press, p. 59.
  36. ^ Kool Moe Dee, 2003, There's A God On The Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs, Thunder's Mouth Press, p.226-228.
  37. ^ http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/reviews/id.911/title.kool-g-rap-half-a-klip
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  40. ^ Cobb, William Jelani, 2007, To The Break Of Dawn: A Freestyle On The Hip Hop Aesthetic, NYU Press, p. 59.
  41. ^ Hess, Mickey, 2007, Icons Of Hip Hop, Greenwood Publishing Group, p.57.
  42. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:k9frxqygld6e~T1
  43. ^ Shapiro, Peter, 2005, The Rough Guide To Hip-Hop, 2nd Edition, Penguin, p. 214.
  44. ^ Kool Moe Dee, 2003, There's A God On The Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs, Thunder's Mouth Press, p.225, 228.
  45. ^ Kool Moe Dee, 2003, There's A God On The Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs, Thunder's Mouth Press, p.225.
  46. ^ http://www.mtv.com/bands/h/hip_hop_week/2006/emcees/index12.jhtml
  47. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/koolgrap/biography online excerpt from 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide.
  48. ^ Coleman, Brian, 2007, Check The Technique: Liner Notes For Hip-Hop Junkies, Villard, Random House, p. 285.
  49. ^ http://www.allhiphop.com/stories/reviewsmusic/archive/2009/07/14/21794546.aspx
  50. ^ http://www.myspace.com/ratheruggedman
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  54. ^ http://www.myspace.com/officialladyofrage
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  58. ^ http://allhiphop.com/stories/reviewsmusic/archive/2009/01/22/20803725.aspx
  59. ^ Kool Moe Dee, 2003, There's A God On The Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs, Thunder's Mouth Press, p.225.
  60. ^ http://www.mtv.com/bands/h/hip_hop_week/2006/emcees/index12.jhtml
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  64. ^ Cobb, William Jelani, 2007, To The Break Of Dawn: A Freestyle On The Hip Hop Aesthetic, NYU Press, p. 59.
  65. ^ Jay-Z, 2003, 'Encore', The Black Album, Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam.
  66. ^ http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/reviews/id.911/title.kool-g-rap-half-a-klip
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  72. ^ http://halftimeonline.com/hip-hop-icon-series/big-daddy-kane/4/
  73. ^ Kool Moe Dee, 2003, There's A God On The Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs, Thunder's Mouth Press, p.225.
  74. ^ http://www.mtv.com/bands/h/hip_hop_week/2006/emcees/index12.jhtml
  75. ^ Shapiro, Peter, 2005, The Rough Guide To Hip-Hop, 2nd Edition, Penguin, p. 213.
  76. ^ Shapiro, Peter, 2005, The Rough Guide To Hip-Hop, 2nd Edition, Penguin, p. 213.
  77. ^ Kool Moe Dee, 2003, There's A God On The Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs, Thunder's Mouth Press, p.225-228.
  78. ^ Sway & King Tech, 1999, 'The Anthem', This Or That, Interscope Records.
  79. ^ Sway & King Tech, 1999, 'The Anthem', This Or That, Interscope Records.
  80. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:h9fyxql5ldhe
  81. ^ Kool Moe Dee, 2003, There's A God On The Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs, Thunder's Mouth Press, p.225, 227.
  82. ^ Hess, Mickey, 2007, Icons Of Hip Hop, Greenwood Publishing Group, p.57.
  83. ^ Shapiro, Peter, 2005, The Rough Guide To Hip-Hop, 2nd Edition, Penguin, p. 213.
  84. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/koolgrap/biography online excerpt from 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide.
  85. ^ Kool Moe Dee, 2003, There's A God On The Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs, Thunder's Mouth Press, p.228.
  86. ^ http://www.mtv.com/bands/h/hip_hop_week/2006/emcees/index12.jhtml
  87. ^ Cobb, William Jelani, 2007, To The Break Of Dawn: A Freestyle On The Hip Hop Aesthetic, NYU Press, p. 59.
  88. ^ Hess, Mickey, 2007, Icons Of Hip Hop, Greenwood Publishing Group, p.57.
  89. ^ Shapiro, Peter, 2005, The Rough Guide To Hip-Hop, 2nd Edition, Penguin, p. 213.
  90. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:g9fqxquhldae
  91. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/koolgrap/biography online excerpt from 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide.
  92. ^ Kool G Rap, 1989, 'Road to the Riches', Road to the Riches, Cold Chillin'.
  93. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:g9fqxquhldae
  94. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:k9frxqygld6e~T1
  95. ^ Kool G Rap, 1990, 'Bad to the Bone', Wanted: Dead or Alive, Cold Chillin'.
  96. ^ Kool G Rap, 1992, Live and Let Die, Cold Chillin'.
  97. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:anfuxqljldte
  98. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:k9frxqygld6e~T2
  99. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/koolgrap/biography online excerpt from 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide.
  100. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/koolgrap/biography online excerpt from 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide.
  101. ^ Kool G Rap, 1990, 'Streets of New York', Wanted: Dead or Alive, Cold Chillin'.
  102. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/koolgrap/biography online excerpt from 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide.
  103. ^ Kool G Rap, 1995, 'Fast Life', 4, 5, 6, Cold Chillin'.

[edit] Further reading

  • Kool Moe Dee, 2003, There's A God On The Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs, Thunder's Mouth Press.
  • Brian Coleman, 2007, Check The Technique: Liner Notes For Hip-Hop Junkies, Villard, Random House.
  • Peter Shapiro, 2005, The Rough Guide To Hip-Hop, 2nd Edition, Penguin.
  • William Jelani Cobb, 2007, To The Break Of Dawn: A Freestyle On The Hip Hop Aesthetic, NYU Press.
  • Mickey Hess, 2007, Icons Of Hip Hop, Greenwood Publishing Group.

[edit] External links

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